Business

Monza of Historic Manassas will be collecting gently used coats to donate to SERVE of Manassas, Va. in exchange for a $25 Monza or Carmello’s gift card and free hot chocolate and coffee on Fridays and Saturdays in January at Monza at 9405 Battle Street in Old Town Manassas, Va. For more information, go to www.eatmonza.com.

“Winter is here, and we’re all pulling out our warm coats, many of us have more than one, while the neediest of our community go without a proper coat for the coldest of days,” said Alice Pires, owner of Carmellos and Monza in Historic Manassas, Va. “Help us support SERVE by dropping off a coat, and warm up with a free hot cocoa and gift card,” said Pires.

Design Army X Karla Colletto to debut their swimwear collection - Swim At Your Own Risk - on Friday, August 22 from 7-10 p.m. at Capitol Skyline Hotel

On the heels of judging the global 61st Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity in France as one of two US judges in the Design category, Pum Lefebure, co-founder and Chief Creative Officer of Design Army, just released her first swimwear collection, Swim At Your Own Risk, in collaboration with Karla Colletto. A capsule collection for Colletto’s Cruise 2015 line and Lefebure’s first venture into fashion design, the five-piece graphic swimsuits and beachwear debuted at the Miami Swim Show on July 19th.

“Falkland Chase is a great addition to our residential portfolio,” said David Paul, a JBG partner. “This is a well-located, transit-oriented community that we are proud to own. We are committed to providing excellent customer service to the residents at Falkland Chase from day one.”

Jessica Waters, assistant professor in the Department of Justice, Law & Society at American University, along with her husband Doug Ward, held a fundraiser for the Children's Law Center (CLC), www.childrenslawcenter.org, at Boffi Georgetown, www.boffigeorgetown.com, 3320 M St. NW in Cady's Alley on Saturday evening, November 3rd.

According to the Bureau of Labor and Statistics, there are over 176,000 musicians and singers in the country. Many people dream of a career in music, yet don’t know where to begin or how to make it happen. For those who do, there are often certain things that they do in order to make it big. Knowing what those things are, and being able to pull them off, can make all the difference.

“Many people who want to become musicians or have a career in the hip hop industry shy away from it because they are afraid they won’t be successful,” explains Steve Lobel, well-known celebrity music manager. “But their success starts with what they believe. If you believe in yourself, you can make it happen.”

According to the National Restaurant Association, there are 970,000 restaurants in America. Further research indicates that the three-year failure rate for restaurants hovers around 60 percent. So just what is it that makes some restaurants fold, while others turn into gold? For two successful Washington D.C.-based restaurants, the answer to their success starts with family.

“When a team comes together that is made up of family, it creates a strong bond, with everyone after the same goal,” says Ben Kirane, co-owner of the Bodega Spanish Tapas & Lounge and Thunder Burger & Bar. “But there are still things that family members need to focus on, in order to make the restaurant, or any type of business, a success.”

With a crew of 20+, Design Army literally went underwater to direct the filming of the featurette for the Cruise 2013 Swim Collection by Karla Colletto, taking branding to a new level and unleashing the cruise control for a swimwear line that has seen international growth over the past seven years.

"It's about building relationships with our clients," says Pum Lefebure, Design Army's co-owner and creative director. "We're always thinking ahead, how we can elevate our clients up to the next level. We create partnerships and think for our clients when it comes to branding."